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Help us understand the costs of using a local POP number
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Posted by: TiVolutionary

Hey Folks,

So, as we've discussed before, TiVo is continuing to investigate eliminating the 800#, and we want to better understand how much it will cost for those of you that don't have a free POP# available to you.

We are considering several alternativeness, but need to fully understand what the value of the 800# is. To help us do that, we are asking everyone here who currently uses the 800# to use a local POP for a few days, and then give us the following information: (Please use the template below when replying so that we can gather the data more efficiently.)

1. Your TiVo box type: (Combo or Standalone)
2. Cost per minute to your local pop (Day rate):
3. Cost per minute to your local pop (Evening rate):
4. Cost per minute to your local pop (Night and Weekend rate):
5. Lengths of 2 daily calls during this test (See Below):
6. Your local phone carrier (PacBell, Bell Atlantic, etc...):
7. Your General area (Manhattan, NY, Akron, OH, Bay Area, CA):
8. Your Zipcode
9. Your Area Code and Prefix. (i.e.: 408-519-XXXX)

For number 4, you will have to call your phone company to get the exact length of the call they charged you for. However, some phone companies may not have this information available until your monthly bill is processed. If this is the case, simply wait until your bill arrives and then use the information from your statement. Also, please make sure these two calls are at least 25 hours apart, or your TiVo won't get any new data.

Depending on your service agreement with your phone company, you may not have separate rates for Day, Evening and Nights and Weekends. If this is the case, just fill in the rates that you do have. (i.e.: If you have the AT&T One Rate Plan, just put in 7 cents under "Day Rate".)

Please feel free to post your data here, but also please send me an email (tivolutionary@tivo.com) with the subject PHONE CHARGES.

Also, I would ask the moderators to keep this thread EXAXTLY on topic. Rants and gripes can go in the other thread, or a new thread. Believe me, we read them. That's why we're doing this!

By the way, there are no promises about how we're going to handle this, nor will we reimburse anyone for this test. This is a good will thing. We're trying to find a solution for folks who don't have an alternative to phone charges without the 800#. If you don't want to participate, then don't, but the more data we have, the better the results will be for us, and for you!

Thanks for your help!
-RB

Posted by: andyf

I'm in, I'll start this weekend.

How about a little good will in return .... like getting a priority position on the beta program for 2.5. http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif

------------------
Andy

Posted by: Leon WIlkinson

Stand Alone
10 cents
NAY
Nex-Tech
Hays, Kansas
67601
785 628

One question would using 2 TiVos 1 day work, instead of 2 days on one TiVo?

(Edit)According to Richard Yes, it would.

------------------
TiVo owners in the fight against cancer

TV Guide for $8 a month, or TiVo service for $10, sounds like a easy choice to me!!

[This message has been edited by Leon WIlkinson (edited 07-13-2001).]

Posted by: David Bott

Hi...Please keep this on-topic.

Thank you.

------------------
David Bott
It's A World Of Entertainment...Experience It!
AV Science/AVS Forum Admin
http://www.avscience.com
http://www.avsforum.com
The Nate Home Theater

Posted by: mattn2

Answers:

1. SA
2. $0.0916 (PacBell in state POP) $0.09 (AT&T out of state POP)
3. $0.0732 (PacBell 5p-11p)
4. $0.0549 (PacBell 11p-8a) $0.05 (AT&T 7p-7a)
5. NAY
6. PacBell
7. Just East of Sacramento, CA (2.5 hrs east of TiVo HQ on I-80)
8. 95765
9. 916-624-xxxx

Another plea: ALLOW US TO USE A LOCAL ISP!!!!

# Matt

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Philips 14hr (+60 GB) on 2.0.1
Philips 14hr (+40 GB) on 2.0.1
Philips 14hr on 2.0.1

Posted by: Dan203

I deleted all the off topic posts and moved them here... http://www.avsforum.com/ubbtivo/For...L/007874.html#1

Please continue discussion there, so we can keep this on topic!

Edit: there is no reason to post that you agree with David, because you have no choice, it's his forum!http://www.avsforum.com/ubb/smile.gif

Dan

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Moderator: TiVo Coffee House, Help Center & Happy Hour

[This message has been edited by Dan203 (edited 07-13-2001).]

Posted by: wlj

RB -

If you don't mind the suggestion, you should also ask how much each call costs. Some of us are charged the same amount whether a call is 1 second or 1 day in length. However, the daily calls that TiVo makes add up because of the per-call charge. The ability to, say, have TiVo dial-in once per week would help to minimize the costs of using a local number when charged on a per-call basis.

Mods - I'd appreciate it if you keep this message in this thread, as I feel it's an important point that TiVo needs to consider when evaluating dial-in costs encumbered by customers. I'm not sure that RB would see this if it's moved to the other "discussion" thread that has been started.

[This message has been edited by wlj (edited 07-14-2001).]

Posted by: emdoma

1. Standalone
2. 10 cents
3. 10 cents
4. 10 cents
5. Don't know
6. SWBC
7. Southwest Missouri
8. 65708
9. 417-235-xxxx

One of the main reasons I bought Tivo over Replay was the 800 number. I am not sure what is meant by POP... I can call my local ISP without a charge... Long distance to another one would be 10 cents.

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30 hour Phillips running 2.0.1

Posted by: Leon WIlkinson

Stand Alone
10 cents
NAY--- Est of 17 minutes
Nex-Tech
Hays, Kansas
67601
785 628

------------------
TiVo owners in the fight against cancer

TV Guide for $8 a month, or TiVo service for $10, sounds like a easy choice to me!!

<A HREF="http://www.avsforum.com/ubbtivo/Forum4/HTML/001652.html" TARGET=_blank><FONT size="6">TiVo ISP support,please!!</FONT s></A>

Posted by: LarryInAz

1. Your TiVo box type: SA
2. Cost per minute to your local pop (Day rate): .07
3. Cost per minute to your local pop (Evening rate): .07
4. Cost per minute to your local pop (Night and Weekend rate): .07
5. Lengths of 2 daily calls during this test (See Below): ???
6. Your local phone carrier (PacBell, Bell Atlantic, etc...): ATT
7. Your General area (Manhattan, NY, Akron, OH, Bay Area, CA): AZ
8. Your Zipcode 85017
9. Your Area Code and Prefix. 602-841-xxxx

------------------
LarryInAz
Lieutenant
in the TiVo "Evolution"

Posted by: jib2

Please note that I don't use 800 service today, but I do pay $5 to $10 per month for local phone service (for 2 TiVos -- $2.50 to $5 each.)

1. Your TiVo box type: 2 Stand alone boxes
2. Cost per minute: 10.8 cents (Flat rate)
3. Cost per minute (Evening rate): 7.56 cents (flat rate)
4. Cost per minute(Night and Weekend rate): 4.32 cents (flat rate)
5. Lengths of 2 daily calls: Doesn't matter (flat rate billing)
6. Your local phone carrier: Verizon (NY)
7. Your General area: Western Suffolk County, NY (Long Island)
8. Your Zipcode: 11788
9. Your Area Code and Prefix. 631-361-xxxx

------------------
Jim B.
Long Island, NY
TiVo 1: Philips 14 hour
TiVo2: Sony 30 hour

Posted by: forecheck

1 - combo
2 - 7 cents
3 - 7 cents
4 - 7 cents
5 - 4 minutes
6 - Roseville Telephone Company
7 - 20 miles east of Sacramento
8 - 95746
9 - 916-791-xxxx

As a side note, every other major ISP that I have ever looked in to has multiple local numbers here, but for some reason UUnet doesn't.

Posted by: Cabinwood

1. Standalone & 2 Combo (called on SA)
2. .10
3. .10
4. .10
5. 1st call 5 minutes, 2nd call 4 minutes
6. TDS Telecom
7. Blue Ridge, GA (North Georgia mountains)
8. 30513
9. 706-838

------------------
Jeanne

Posted by: FlashingTwelve

1. SA
2. 10.5
3. 6.5
4. 4.5
5. N/A
6. Verizon
7. Manhattan, NY
8. 100xx
9. 212-

Posted by: FourOhFour

I am estimating - I use the 800 number at my university, and since it's summer I am not there to actually check the call length or charge

1. Your TiVo box type: Standalone
2. Cost per minute to your local pop (Day rate): $.15
3. Cost per minute to your local pop (Evening rate):
4. Cost per minute to your local pop (Night and Weekend rate):
5. Lengths of 2 daily calls during this test (See Below): [No clue...]
6. Your local phone co: Verizon (I believe)
7. Your General area: Potsdam, NY. (upstate NY)
8. Your Zipcode 13699 (Uni's zip code... the town has 13676)
9. Your Area Code and Prefix. (i.e.: 408-519-XXXX)315-268-xxxx

PLEASE support providing your own ISP... Then my TiVo could dial into the University's local modem pool... (and if you do support providing your own ISP, PLEASE support 4 digit dialing...

To put it simpily, I'd do without the TiVo if I had to pay $.15/min daily... it adds up way too quickly.

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- This Space For Rent -

Posted by: NPBeacher

Thanks for looking into this RB.

I have three TiVo's in the household, so multiply by 3.

1. All three are standalone
2. Daily Rate is 5cents, 24/7
5. 4min and 13min (only looked at one box)
6. PacBell
7. South Orange County (Laguna Niguel), CA
8. 92677
9. 949-363-XXXX

Take care

Tony

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Happy 2.0.1 user on 3 Phillips' TiVos

[This message has been edited by NPBeacher (edited 07-17-2001).]